Edo Queens are WAFU-B champions again — and Nigeria is back at the CAF Women’s Champions League

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso — Edo Queens are WAFU-B champions again.

The Nigerian champions twice came from behind against Ghana’s Ampem Darkoa Ladies before keeping their nerve in a penalty shootout to win 4–1 after a 2–2 draw in Saturday’s final at the Stade du 4 Août in Ouagadougou.

The victory secured Edo Queens the 2026 WAFU-B Women’s Champions League qualifying title and, more importantly, Nigeria’s place at the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League.

It was a dramatic conclusion to a tournament in which Edo Queens suffered only one defeat a 2–1 loss to Ampem Darkoa in the group stage before returning to beat the Ghanaian champions when the stakes were highest.

Twice behind, never beaten

Ampem Darkoa made the perfect start.

Beline Nyarko put the Ghanaian champions ahead in the second minute, but Edo Queens responded almost immediately.

Doosuur Anastasia Atume restored parity in the fourth minute, bringing the Nigerian champions back into the contest.

The match remained finely balanced before Nyarko struck again in the second half, converting a penalty to put Ampem Darkoa back in front.

With the regional title within touching distance for the Ghanaian side, Edo Queens refused to surrender.

Oluebube Umejiaku produced the decisive late intervention, scoring deep into stoppage time to make it 2–2 and force a penalty shootout.

And from the spot, Edo Queens were flawless.

The Nigerian champions converted all four of their penalties, while Ampem Darkoa converted only one of their three attempts, with two misses handing Edo Queens a 4–1 shootout victory.

The comeback completed a remarkable turnaround from their group-stage meeting.

The road to the title

Edo Queens entered the tournament as Nigeria’s NWFL Premiership champions and quickly established themselves as one of the strongest teams in the competition.

24 August — Edo Queens 7–0 AS GNN

The Nigerian champions began their campaign with a seven-goal demolition of AS GNN of Niger.

Esther Moses scored a hat-trick, finding the net three times, while Doosuur Atume added two goals.

Aminat Folorunsho and Oluwakemi Adegbuyi also got on the scoresheet as Edo Queens opened their campaign in emphatic style.

The 7–0 victory immediately put the Nigerian side among the tournament’s leading attacking teams.

27 August — Edo Queens 3–1 ASEC Mimosas

Edo Queens continued their impressive start against Côte d’Ivoire’s ASEC Mimosas.

Oluwakemi Adegbuyi opened the scoring in the 23rd minute before Tarnum Dooshima doubled the advantage in the 41st.

ASEC pulled one back through Doudou Yeti in the 83rd minute, but Oluebube Umejiaku restored Edo Queens’ two-goal cushion in the 89th minute.

The 3–1 victory strengthened Edo Queens’ position at the top end of Group B and moved them closer to a semi-final place.

30 August — Ampem Darkoa 2–1 Edo Queens

The Nigerian champions suffered their only defeat of the tournament against the same team they would eventually face in the final.

Atume gave Edo Queens the lead in the 11th minute, but Ampem Darkoa fought back after the interval.

Rebecca Assemani equalised in the 46th minute before Milot Pokuaa completed the comeback in the 78th.

The 2–1 result sent Ampem Darkoa through as Group B winners and left Edo Queens in second place. It was the Nigerian side’s only loss of the entire campaign.

3 September — USFA 1–5 Edo Queens

Edo Queens responded to that defeat in emphatic fashion.

The Nigerian champions dismantled hosts USFA 5–1 in the semi-final to book their place in the final.

Atume opened the scoring in the 17th minute before Esther Moses doubled the advantage in the 43rd.

Captain Valentina Uroko then made it 3–0 shortly before half-time.

Dooshima Tarnum added a fourth two minutes after the restart, while Aminat Folorunsho completed the scoring for Edo Queens in the 63rd minute.

USFA scored a late consolation, but Edo Queens were already firmly in control.

The 5–1 victory set up a final rematch with the only team to have beaten them in the tournament.

5 September — Edo Queens 2–2 Ampem Darkoa

Edo Queens win 4–1 on penalties

The final delivered another classic between the two sides.

Ampem Darkoa scored first.

Edo Queens responded.

Ampem Darkoa regained the lead.

And once again, Edo Queens found a way back.

Umejiaku’s late equaliser sent the contest to penalties, where the Nigerian champions showed greater composure to win 4–1 and lift the WAFU-B trophy.

Adegbuyi named Player of the Tournament

Edo Queens’ triumph was also reflected in the individual awards.

Oluwakemi Adegbuyi was named WAFU-B Player of the Tournament, recognising her influential performances throughout the competition.

Adegbuyi scored in the 3–1 victory over ASEC Mimosas and was one of Edo Queens’ most consistent attacking performers during their run to the title.

Doosuur Anastasia Atume was named the tournament’s leading scorer and took home the Golden Boot.

Atume scored against AS GNN, ASEC Mimosas’ group rivals, in the group-stage defeat to Ampem Darkoa, in the semi-final against USFA and in the final. Her early equaliser in the final also played a key role in keeping Edo Queens in the contest.

Nigeria is back at the CAF Women’s Champions League

For Nigerian women’s club football, Edo Queens’ achievement is bigger than another regional trophy.

By winning WAFU-B, Edo Queens have secured the region’s place at the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League.

It is another significant milestone for a club that has rapidly established itself as one of Nigeria’s leading women’s teams.

Edo Queens previously won the WAFU-B competition in 2024 and went on to finish fourth at the CAF Women’s Champions League in their maiden continental campaign.

Now they are going back.

The journey has once again followed a familiar path:

NWFL champions.
WAFU-B champions.
CAF Women’s Champions League.

But this time, Edo Queens return to the continental stage with the experience of having already competed against Africa’s best.

Their 2026 WAFU-B campaign was not perfect.

They lost to Ampem Darkoa in the group stage.

But when the same opponent stood between them and the trophy, Edo Queens found another level.

They came from behind twice.

They survived the pressure.

They held their nerve from the spot.

And they reclaimed the WAFU-B crown.

Edo Queens are champions of West Africa again and Nigeria is back on Africa’s biggest stage in women’s club football.